letters-第58章
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ished in Spain have fallen to my share; I having been labouring on the flinty rock and sierra; and not in smiling meadows refreshed by sea breezes。 I hoped in Seville and other towns of Andalusia to have secured the sale of more Testaments than it is probable that I shall be able to do in Spain proper; where I was afraid that my efforts had not been appreciated; but if my good friend Mr。 Graydon has preceded me to those regions let him remain there and let no one interrupt him。 I hope in the Lord that he will be permitted to prosper。 When you write to him; present my cordial regards; and assure him that at all times I shall be happy to hear from him。
I hope nothing in my last letter; in which I forwarded Mr。 R's communication; will be taken in bad part。 I repeat that I was grieved to have Marin saddled upon me; in a place where I am surrounded by spies and persecuted by many and vindictive enemies。 The idea; however; of his having gone back to Rome is preposterous; the Bishop of Jaen having assured Mr。 R。 that he had turned a deaf ear to all the promises which had been made to him; with the view of inducing him to recant。 He has not yet made his appearance。
I remain; my dear Sir; yours;
GEORGE BORROW。
P。S。 … You have never had the urbanity to acknowledge the receipt of my Gypsy Gospel。 In the Spanish newspapers it has been called a great accession to the literature of Spain。
LETTER: 26th April; 1838
To Mr。 William Hitchin (ENDORSED: recd。 May 8; 1838) MADRID; APRIL 26; 1838。
I TAKE the liberty of herewith sending you my accompt。 It is still an imperfect one; the printing of the Basque Gospel not being charged for; which I have not defrayed; together with some other items; for which I am indebted to my printer; who; having lately fought a duel; is laid up with his wounds; and cannot for the present transact business。 I have charged here; as you will observe; for the translation of the Basque St。 Luke; an item; which I sent in; in a former accompt; but which appears to have been overlooked in your favour of Decr。 28; 1837。 Independent of the Despatch; I have charged for the hire of a room as a general depot for the Scriptures。 I am afraid to place my whole stock in the shop; owing to the continual persecution to which I am subjected; notwithstanding I enjoy powerful protection。 Only last week a band of ALGUAZILS rushed into the premises and seized 25 copies of the Gospel of St。 Luke in Rommany which I had advertised。 To the present accompt of the money which I have disbursed; you will please to add the previous one of Novr。 1837; which I sent in; which will enable you to see how I stand。
I hope the Financial Committee and yourself will excuse any inaccuracies; supposing I have fallen into any; respecting money drawn; as I am much busied in negociations; and have lately been so harassed by vexatious proceedings; that I believe my mind has somewhat suffered。 However; glory to God; the Society's shop is open AT MADRID; though we are not allowed to advertise and though it be but a small taper burning amongst Egyptian darkness。 I hope it will serve as a watch…light and beacon to some。
I remain; etc。;
GEORGE BORROW。
P。S。 … The reprint of 1。5 sheet was owing to want of care on my part; in the translation。 I therefore wish that the amount be struck out from my disbursements。
LETTER: 11th May; 1838
To the Rev。 A。 Brandram (ENDORSED: recd。 May 22; 1838) PRISON OF MADRID; MAY '11'; 1838。
REVD。 AND DEAR SIR; … I write; as you see; from the prison of Madrid; in which I have been confined for the last ten days; for it has pleased God to confer upon me the highest of mortal honours; the privilege of bearing chains for His sake。 I shall not at present detail the circumstances which occasioned my arrest; as doubtless the English newspapers will afford you all the particulars; nor shall I dwell upon the situation in which I find myself; but be content with observing that the violence; the preconcerted violence and atrocity; which have been practised towards me; will prove the means of accomplishing not what my enemies hoped and wished; the destruction and disgrace of the Bible…cause in Spain; but its triumph; its pure and sublime triumph。
Satan has; as usual; foiled himself; and his poisoned shafts have recoiled; and pierced his own bosom。 You will have heard how gallantly Sir George Villiers has taken my part; and how he has made a national question of the persecution of which I have been the object; and which lately reached its climax。 It will be necessary to tell you here that I have always communicated to him the steps which I intended to take in order to promote the circulation of the Bible; and they have uniformly met with his approbation; therefore you will easily conceive that in what I have done there has been no rashness nor anything which savoured of the arts of the charlatan: I have too much respect for the Gospel and my own character to have recourse to them。
I will now state a fact which speaks volumes as to the state of affairs at Madrid。 My arch…enemy the Archbishop of Toledo; the Primate of Spain; wishes to give me the kiss of brotherly peace。 He has caused a message to be conveyed to me in my dungeon; assuring me that he has had no share in causing my imprisonment; which he says was the work of the Civil Governor; who was incited to that step by the Jesuits。 He adds that he is determined to seek out my persecutors amongst the clergy and to have them punished; and that when I leave prison he shall be happy to co…operate with me in the dissemination of the Gospel!!!
I cannot write much now; for I am not well; having been bled and blistered。 I must; however; devote a few lines to another subject; but not one of rejoicing or Christian exultation。 Marin arrived just after my arrest; and visited me in prison; and there favoured me with a scene of despair; abject despair; which nearly turned my brain。 I despised the creature; God forgive me; but I pitied him; for he was without money and expected every moment to be seized like myself and incarcerated; and he is by no means anxious to be invested with the honours of martyrdom。 I have offered him some relief … what else could I do? He seems partly insane。 I reap; as I expected; the full credit of his conversion。 The Bishop of Cordova got up the other day in council; and said that I was a dangerous pestilent person; who under the pretence of selling the Scriptures went about making converts; and moreover employed subordinates; for the purpose of deluding weak and silly people into separation from the Mother Church。
Of this man I have said in a letter to Mr。 Rule; not yet sent: 'I hope that Marin's history will prove a warning to many of our friends; and tend to a certain extent to sober down the desire for doing what is called at home SMART THINGS; many of which terminate in a manner very different from the original expectations of the parties concerned。 To do a great and a good thing requires a heart replete with the love of Christ and a head cooled by experience and knowledge of the world; both of which desiderata I consider incompatible with a wish to shine。'
It is probable that I shall leave prison to…morrow。 Pray write to my mother and beg her not to be alarmed。
I remain; Revd。 and dear Sir;
Yours faithfully;
GEORGE BORROW。
LETTER: 13th May; 1838
To the Rev。 A。 Brandram (ENDORSED: recd。 May 23; 1838) MADRID; May 13 '1838'。
REVD。 AND DEAR SIR; … Post is just about to start; but I am compelled to write a few words。 The Bible cause has triumphed in Spain。 Whatever I do in future connected with the Gospel is to have the sanction of the Government; who have expressed a desire to co…operate with the Bible Society towards the civilization of the country。
I left prison yesterday; and this morning was sent for to the British Embassy; where Sir George entered into an infinity of details which I cannot state at present。 Sir George has commanded me; however; to write to the following effect:…
Mr。 Graydon must leave Spain; or the Bible Society must publicly